Toto Wolff is the team principal of the Mercedes Formula 1 team. The Austrian became famous for steering the Silver Arrows to eight World Constructors’ Championships and has been caught in some fierce rivalries with other teams over the years. We discuss some interesting Toto Wolff facts below.
1. When Was Toto Wolff Born?
Toto Wolff was born on January 12, 1972. His full name is Torger Christian “Toto” Wolff. Toto was born in Vienna, Austria, to a Polish mother and a Romanian father. Because he was born in Vienna, his nationality is Austrian.
2. Where Did Toto Wolff Go To School?
Toto Wolff went to school in Vienna, Austria. Toto went to one of the most prestigious French schools in Vienna called Lycée Français de Vienne. It’s one of the world’s largest schools accredited by the Agency for French Teaching Abroad (AEFE).
3. How Tall Is Toto Wolff?
Toto Wolff is 1.96 meters (6 ft 4 inches) tall. He is one of the tallest people in the F1 paddock, and he’s significantly taller than all the Formula 1 drivers and other team principals.
4. Is Toto Wolff Left Handed?
Toto Wolff is not left handed. He has been photographed using his right hand to sign autographs.
5. How Many Languages Does Toto Wolff Speak?
Toto Wolff speaks at least 5 different languages fluently. From his childhood, Toto was able to speak French since he went to a French school, and he can speak Polish as his mother was Polish. Living in Vienna, Toto also learned to speak German. Toto can also speak English and Italian fluently.
6. Who Is Toto Wolff’s Wife?
Toto Wolff is married to Susie Wolff, who is a former British racing driver. She had a short stint as a Formula 1 reserve driver before retiring from racing and moving into management. In 2021 she became the team principal and CEO of the Venturi Formula E team, but she left in August 2022.
7. Does Toto Wolff Have Any Kids?
Toto Wolff has 2 children from a previous marriage. Toto married Susie Wolff in 2011, and in 2017 they had a boy of their own named Jack Wolff. Jack Wolff has frequently been seen around the paddock, and meeting some of the drivers.
8. Did Toto Wolff Race For Red Bull?
Toto Wolff raced in Red Bull colors during his career as a driver. Toto raced in GT cars and was sponsored by his compatriot Dietrich Mateschitz. Toto and his Mercedes F1 team are one of Red Bull’s biggest rivals, which makes his Red Bull ties from the past interesting for many fans!
9. What Did Toto Wolff Do Before F1?
Before Formula 1, Toto Wolff was an instructor at the Walter Lechner Racing School in Austria. In 2009, he set the (then) lap record on the Nürburgring Nordschleife in a Porsche RSR. Toto entered the Formula 1 scene by buying a share in the Williams team and joining the board of directors.
10. How Did Toto Wolff Get Into F1?
Toto Wolff bought a share in the Williams F1 team in 2009 which allowed him to join the board of directors. In 2012 he became the executive director of Williams F1. Buying a share in the team paved his way into the sport, a move that would eventually become pivotal in his career.
11. How Did Toto Wolff Become Mercedes Team Principal?
Toto Wolff left the Williams F1 team in 2013 to become the executive director of the Mercedes F1 team. Toto also acquired 33% of the Mercedes team and took over all Mercedes motorsport activities, which is a position that was previously held by Norbert Haug.
12. How Much Does Toto Wolff Make A Year?
It’s reported that Toto Wolff earns around $26 million per year from his salary from the Mercedes Formula 1 team alone. Toto also earns performance bonuses from the team, as well as some additional funds from his private businesses and investments.
13. Toto Wolff Net Worth
Toto Wolff’s net worth is around $540 million. The majority of his net worth has been attributed to his eight years spent with Mercedes as team principal. Toto also has some investments and businesses that he set up before his time in Formula 1 that contribute to his personal wealth.
14. How Did Toto Wolff Get So Rich?
In his early life, Toto Wolff was a banker. This allowed him to learn some essential investment and financial skills that helped him to make the right decisions in investing and setting up businesses. Toto founded Marchfifteen in 1998 and Marchsixteen Investments in 2004.
15. Did Toto Wolff Buy Mercedes?
Toto Wolff bought 33% of the Mercedes F1 team. This does not mean that he has majority share in the team, but he does own a large part of it. Toto does not have ownership of the entire Mercedes brand, but he is in charge of the motorsport division.
16. Does Toto Wolff Own Mercedes?
Toto Wolff is CEO and team principal of the Mercedes Formula 1 team, and he has 33% ownership over the team. Toto does not own the Mercedes brand or the Mercedes Formula 1 team.
17. How Much Did Toto Wolff Invest In Mercedes?
Toto Wolff invested $50 million into Mercedes Formula 1 team in return for a 33% stake. This gave Toto the opportunity to take over motorsport activities at the Silver Arrows. Under his leadership, the team has been incredibly successful, winning 8 World Constructors’ Championships in a row.
18. Is Toto Wolff Still At Mercedes?
Toto Wolff is still at the Mercedes Formula 1 team. He joined in 2013, and the team has since broke records, stringing 8 World Constructors’ Championships together. Toto will remain at the Mercedes team for the foreseeable future due to his investment and success with the team.
19. Who Does Toto Wolff Report To?
Toto Wolff is the CEO and team principal of the Mercedes Formula 1 team. In the sporting division, he is the head of the team and does not report to anyone. However, he would report to the Mercedes brand and stakeholders who are partnered with his team, as well as the team’s sponsors.
20. Has Toto Wolff Signed A New Contract?
Toto Wolff signed a new contract with the Mercedes F1 team in 2021. Toto’s new contract with Mercedes is set to last 3 years, giving him the opportunity to stay with the team until at least 2024, when he will have the choice to sign another contract extension.
21. Is Toto Wolff Retiring?
Toto Wolff won’t be retiring soon as he is focused on breaking more records with the Silver Arrows. He has had major success with the Mercedes Formula 1 team. Over the years while he has been team principal, the team has achieved a win rate of nearly 60%.
22. Who Will Replace Toto Wolff?
As Toto Wolff recently signed a new contract and is not planning on retiring any time soon, Mercedes are not currently planning a replacement. It’s likely that Mercedes will promote someone from within the team to become team principal when Toto retires.
23. Where Does Toto Wolff Sit During Races?
Toto Wolff sits in the Mercedes garage, rather than on the pit wall like other team principals. This unique setup was brought in by Toto because it gives him an overview of both the engineering teams and every other specialist mechanic and engineer in the garage while they do their individual jobs.
24. Why Doesn’t Toto Wolff Sit On The Pit Wall?
Toto Wolff prefers to sit in the back of the garage where he has a good overview of the engineering teams on both sides of the garage. Toto’s seat is right at the back of the garage with the engineers on either side of him, allowing him to control all the operations right from the garage rather than being on the pit wall.
25. Why Is Toto Wolff A Good Leader?
Toto Wolff is one of the most successful team principals in the history of the sport. Under his leadership, Mercedes became one of the most dominant teams ever. Toto has been praised for a combination of empathy and perfectionism that constantly pushes the Mercedes F1 team toward success.
26. Why Is Toto Wolff So Good?
Toto Wolff is a great team principal and leader because he’s always striving to be the best. It was clear during the 2022 season that the Austrian does not accept subpar quality and results from his team, so everyone is motivated to give their best to the team and make it a success.
27. Why Is Toto Wolff So Popular?
Toto Wolff is one of the most popular and most famous team principals on the grid. He’s partly popular for helping bring Lewis Hamilton to Mercedes and contributing to his 6 World Championships with the team. He’s also popular because of his open and honest approach to issues in the media.
28. Does Toto Wolff Manage George Russell?
Toto Wolff does manage George Russell. Ever since the Brit became part of the Mercedes junior academy in 2017, Toto has taken him under his wing. Toto was responsible for securing Russell’s seat at Williams and promoting him to a full-time drive at Mercedes for the 2022 season.
29. Does Toto Wolff Manage Esteban Ocon?
Toto Wolff and his Mercedes team still manage Esteban Ocon, and he has helped Ocon significantly throughout his career and helped get him into Formula 1. The Frenchman joined Renault for the 2020 season, having previously been Mercedes’ reserve driver.
30. How Many Drivers Does Toto Wolff Manage?
Currently Toto Wolff is managing Lewis Hamilton and George Russell at Mercedes. The Austrian is also working closely with Esteban Ocon at Alpine. There are plenty of other Mercedes junior drivers, but Toto is mainly focused on drivers in Formula 1 at the moment.
31. What Cars Does Toto Wolff Own?
Toto Wolff’s car collection includes:
- 1957 Mercedes Benz 300
- Mercedes Benz 300 SL
- Mercedes AMG GT
- Mercedes AMG G TR
- Mercedes Benz SLS AMG
- Mercedes Benz GLC
- Mercedes X-Class
- Mercedes Benz G-Class
- Mercedes Benz C-Class
- Bugatti Veyron
- Maserati Granturismo
Final Thoughts
Toto Wolff has been one of the most successful team principals in the history of Formula 1. The Austrian has led the Mercedes F1 team to one of the most dominant runs, claiming 8 World Constructors’ Championships in a row. From racing in Red Bull colors to his many high-value investments, he has had an interesting back story that makes him one of F1’s most fascinating names.
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